oblouky

Oblouky is the Czech plural of oblouk, meaning arches or curves. The term can denote physical structures in architecture, curved shapes in geometry and engineering, or figurative uses describing bending forms in art and design. In everyday Czech use, oblouky refers broadly to any curved element or sequence of curves.

In architecture and civil engineering, oblouky appear as load-bearing arches, vaults and bridges. Traditional masonry arches transfer loads by compression through voussoirs to supports and require consideration of thrust and buttressing. Variants include semicircular (Roman), pointed (Gothic), parabolic and catenary arches, each chosen for aesthetic, structural or material reasons.

In mathematics and geometry, an oblouk (arc) describes a continuous portion of a curve, commonly a circular arc defined by radius and central angle. Important properties include arc length (s = rθ for circular arcs), chord length, and curvature (the reciprocal of radius for circles). Elliptical, parabolic and spline arcs are used in design and modeling to achieve specific shapes or structural behaviors.

Oblouky also carry cultural and symbolic meanings: arches mark gateways, memorials and transitions in public spaces and art. In technical contexts the plural term emphasizes sets or sequences of curved elements, as in road alignments, roof forms or decorative motifs. The concept bridges practical engineering, mathematical description and aesthetic expression.